COP29: Building on the Momentum from Dubai to Baku

After a year of significant progress for nuclear power, international momentum to help meet the world’s most pressing climate and energy challenges with this clean and reliable technology has shifted from the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) in Dubai to COP29 in Baku, where Azerbaijan will host the annual global climate summit.

COP28 was a landmark event for nuclear energy. After spending nearly three decades on the sidelines of the annual conference, nuclear energy was finally recognized last year in Dubai. The message at COP28 was clear: global efforts to achieve net zero must include an expansion of nuclear power.

That momentum continued to build at the first ever Nuclear Energy Summit, which was organized by the IAEA and the Government of Belgium and held in Brussels in March 2024. Leaders from more than 30 countries and the European Union emphasized the importance of nuclear for energy security, climate goals and sustainable development.

COP29 offers nuclear energy another opportunity in the spotlight as countries chart pathways for fulfilling its potential. As leaders gather in Baku, this edition of the IAEA Bulletin highlights the increasingly prominent role nuclear power is playing in the clean energy transition.

To triple nuclear capacity by 2050, the world will need to harness all available solutions. Nearly all of the 60 or so reactors under construction are large pressurized water reactors. While these technologies will make up the majority of the build-out, there is also room for emerging technologies like small modular reactors (SMRs) and microreactors — including novel designs with innovative fuels and coolants — to play a significant role.

Nuclear energy is versatile: in addition to providing baseload power to electrical grids around the world, it can be used to decarbonize rapidly and abate the impact of industrial sectors, which account for almost 40 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions.

The power needs of data centres and artificial intelligence are set to skyrocket in the coming years and, as a result, companies like Google and Microsoft are actively eyeing advanced nuclear technologies as sources of clean, reliable and flexible power to meet their growing energy needs. That could result in a new and original pathway for the commercial deployment of advanced nuclear power in markets where it is struggling to emerge amid challenges related to the financing of first-of-a-kind technologies.

As more and more countries look to add the atom to their energy mix, the IAEA Milestones Approach, recently updated to address SMR-specific considerations, provides a sound process for developing the necessary infrastructure for a safe, secure and sustainable nuclear power programme. Newcomer countries can benefit from the IAEA’s guidance as demand for nuclear power in the developing world continues to grow.

Countries need support in charting their unique pathways to net zero. Energy scenario modelling is often the place to start: a comprehensive, data driven picture of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. The IAEA’s Atoms4NetZero initiative provides policymakers with the data they need to make informed, science based decisions to harness the full potential of nuclear energy — including in non-electrical sectors — and decarbonize their national economies.

Novel approaches to implementing new build projects on time and on budget are needed to optimize expansion plans. The IAEA’s Nuclear Harmonization and Standardization Initiative is helping countries develop harmonized regulatory approaches and industrial standardization to facilitate the deployment of safe and secure SMRs and other advanced reactors.

A skilled and diverse workforce is needed now more than ever to meet the challenges of the moment and ensure the long term sustainability of nuclear energy. The IAEA supports countries in these areas through initiatives such as the Nuclear Energy Management School, the IAEA Marie Sk?odowska-Curie Fellowship Programme, the Lise Meitner Programme and a range of other trainings, workshops and peer review services.

The IAEA is required to verify the peaceful use of nuclear material. The continued expansion of nuclear power will add to the steadily growing volumes of nuclear material and the number of facilities under IAEA safeguards. By utilizing advanced technologies and working cooperatively with States expanding their nuclear energy production, as well as with ‘newcomers’ looking to add nuclear energy to their energy mix, IAEA safeguards stand ready to meet the increased demands of the international community as the world looks to achieve net zero.

As COP28 made clear, the global appetite for clean and reliable nuclear energy continues to grow. At COP29, countries can work to ensure that nuclear energy reaches its full potential as a key element of the net zero future.